DEIVATHIN KURAL # 32 (Vol #4) Dated 27 June 2010.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 32 (Vol #4) Dated 27 June 2010.

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by Periyaval of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. Today we are proceeding from the third para on page 193 of Vol 4 of the Tamil original. The readers are reminded that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too, mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated constantly.)
214. Definition of Guru. In Mundakopanishad (1.2.12.) where it says that the disciple should surrender to the Guru, there are two qualities described defining ‘Lakshana’ of a Guru! One is that, he should be a ‘Srotriya’, meaning that, ‘he should be someone who knows the ins and outs of the Vedas’! In Tamil they would say that he should be someone who should have, ‘vedattai karaittu kudiththu irukka vendum!’ That shows his erudition in matters of Veda, Saastra, PuraNa and Itihaasaas! Then the second requirement is that he should be a ‘Brhma Nishta’, that is his knowledge about the meaning of God and Existence should be a thing of ‘Anubhava’ that is, personal inner experience and not simply only as understood by the mind and senses!
215. This is not possible unless such a person has imbibed the qualities of Love (Anbu), Sacrifice (Thyagam), Paropakaram (service to others), Truthfulness and uncaring for name and fame! That Aachaarya pointed out by the Upanishads, is not only an intellectual like the professors of the modern day, but one who has brought such high qualities in to his life in a practical way. In him the qualities of head and heart would meet without any conflict! He is thus as much a product of the system of Guru Kula as the disciple anyhow is. In other words, if the Guru was reason for the upbringing of the Sishyas, the Sishyas in turn are responsible for the coming into being of such great Gurus!
216. This I am saying not only about the Guru who teaches some discipline or subject. I am including all those Gurus who are the heads of so many such organizations such as ‘Peetams’ and ‘Matams’ which have come into being so as to do service for the humanity, to show the way to the common masses from the forest of worldly life to take them back to the source of all existence, back to the spring of God! I am talking about people like me who are called ‘Jagat Guru’ and such exalted titles!
217. The followers of such organizations have to be exceptionally well disciplined and maintain a very high standard of morality. They have to be such strict practitioners of the Do’s and Don’ts of the religion that, we as heads of such organizations have to keep still higher standards of discipline, so as to earn their respect and admiration! Instead, when the disciples are not following their rules and regulations, what happens? These followers praise the Sanyasi even when simply he is observing the minimum of what he is supposed to do! A ‘Yati’ is supposed to live with the barest of minimum requirements in terms of clothing, food, furniture and such things. He is to follow very strict rules of ‘Soucham (cleanliness) and Aachaaram’! Even when someone touches him by chance, he is to have a bath. He is to abhor and avoid all show and pomp!
218. For the slightest of defaults of even others, he should bathe and fast. You see, in an enclosure where there is say likely exposure to atomic radiation, think of what all could be the restrictions in a person working there. Stricter the restrictions have to be for a person working to lead others to the proximity of the very Para Brhmam! We have to be extremely careful and guard against being contaminated by any and every physical, mental, moral and spiritual hazards! We call it ‘anaachara radiations’!
219. For someone working in the environs of an atomic reactor, it is necessary to follow the rules and regulations as laid! Someone working in a petrol bunk say, should not be using a lighter or cell phone! If they do not follow the rules, it could be harmful for that person, consumers and the organization! They are not going to be given awards if they follow the rules, but if they do not adhere to the rules and restrictions, they should be punished.
220. Similarly, we need not be praised for obeying the set of rules meant to be followed by a hermit, but taken to task if we are letting things go by default! We are rather concerned about being able to adhere to the rules. Instead, if you praise us with words such as, “What great tapasya, how many restrictions and taboos you are suffering Swamiji, for our sake” and so on, it is likely to go to our heads and cause us to go awry! Once we start relaxing one rule, then slowly the whole system will collapse. Then whatever was to be derived from such an organization like this Kanchi Kamakoti Matam created especially for the benefit of this humanity, will be lost forever!
221. If all the regular followers themselves were adherents of Nitya Karma Anushtaanas, keeping their vows of abstinence on the days that they are required to do so, then they would not feel so impressed about the fact that their Guru, is observing the rules and regulations as required of him! Then there is no chance of all this contributing to the head weight of the Guru. I wish that I should have at the least some very strict followers of such order and discipline, who would be able to tick me off, if and when I go wrong ever so slightly!
222. Individual Mendicant and the Head of an Organization who is Also a Sanyasi. In the field of education as well as in organizations in which there is a Guru at the helm of affairs, this point about the followers being a decisive factor in maintaining the Guru’s standard is equally applicable. If there is an individual Sanyasi, it is enough if he has some rudimentary knowledge about the religious beliefs and tradition. Then he may be totally immersed in the Self or surrendered to fate and God. He has no other responsibility towards anyone. The case of a Sanyasi who is the head of such organizations, is different. He has to be a master of all Saastraas. He has to clarify doubts in such matters. He has to conduct ‘Vidvat Sadas’ and adjudicate. For this he has to be highly knowledgeable in matters of Veda, Saastra, Itihaasa, Puraanaas (to be known as VSIPs in short in this chapter only)!
223. When there are a substantial number of people well qualified in VSIPs, then only heads of such organizations would be compelled to gain such knowledge, to be able to find solutions to disputes and clarify doubts and be motivated to conduct ‘Sadas’, that is ‘expert committee meetings’. If the general body of followers of the Matam is not at all knowledgeable about such things, there will be no doubts and no need for holding a Sadas! I am noticing that amongst the general public of our religion, the knowledge about our Saastraas is dwindling down and so also the Heads of such religious organizations in turn are becoming relatively clueless also!
224. It is sad but true! Since there is a general lessening of standards, we as heads of such religious organizations are also in a dangerously low state about our own tenets, concepts and principles! If we, who are responsible for saving and protecting these Saastraas for the present and future, are losing our grip on the situation, is it not really a thing for concern? So, there is a dire need now for you to devote time and energy to learn about our Saastraas, not only for your own sake, but also so as to keep us on the hop!
(To be continued.)
Sambhomahadeva.